Client: Metro Vancouver (Greater Vancouver Water District – GVWD)
Main contractor: Burrard-Chilco Partnership (EBC Inc., Pomerleau BC Inc., Spie Batignolles Canada Inc.)
Contract value: approximately CAD 495 million
Construction period: 2024–2029
Location: Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Construction is progressing on the Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel Project, a major underground infrastructure scheme being delivered for Metro Vancouver to replace the aging Capilano Main No.4 water transmission line installed in the 1930s.
The project involves construction of a new deep rock tunnel beneath Stanley Park to strengthen the reliability and seismic resilience of Metro Vancouver’s regional drinking water network. The existing pipeline currently carries a significant proportion of the region’s drinking water supply.
The contract for construction was awarded to the Burrard-Chilco Partnership, a joint venture comprising EBC Inc. (Canada), Pomerleau BC Inc. (Canada), and Spie Batignolles Canada Inc. (Canada/France). Engineering and technical support is being provided by Mott MacDonald (UK), Jacobs (USA), GeoPentech (Canada) and Delve Underground (USA), which is acting as project and construction manager.
Project scope
The Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel Project will deliver a new underground water conveyance system designed to replace the existing Capilano Main No.4 pipeline.
Works include construction of a deep water supply tunnel beneath Stanley Park together with associated shafts, underground structures and connections to existing regional infrastructure.
The contract includes:
- Construction of a 1.4 km long deep rock tunnel
- Installation of a 2.6–2.65 m diameter steel water transmission pipeline
- Construction of three vertical access shafts
- Excavation of two underground valve chambers
- Connection to the existing Capilano water transmission system
- Construction of surface infrastructure including a valve and electrical building
- Temporary pipeline installation and utility relocations during system shutdowns
- Establishment of construction compounds, access routes and supporting infrastructure
The new installation will replace the existing 1.8 m diameter pipeline, increasing water system capacity and improving resilience against seismic events.
The project required approvals from several regulatory authorities due to the tunnel alignment passing beneath Stanley Park, including the Vancouver Park Board and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.
Tunnel characteristics
- Tunnel type: water supply tunnel in bedrock
- Length: approximately 1.4 km
- Excavation diameter: approximately 4.5 m
- Installed pipeline: 2.6–2.65 m diameter steel water main
- Depth: approximately 35–60 m below ground level
- Ground conditions: sandstone bedrock
Excavation will be undertaken using a shaft-based tunnelling approach.
Three shafts are being constructed within Stanley Park:
Burrard Inlet Shaft
This shaft connects the new tunnel with the existing water transmission system supplied from the North Shore reservoirs.
Central Shaft
The central shaft will act as the primary excavation point for the tunnel works and will also be used for removal of excavated rock.
Chilco Street Shaft
The Chilco Street shaft provides access to underground valve chambers and accommodates surface facilities including a valve building and electrical infrastructure.
Tunnel excavation will begin from the central shaft, advancing in both directions towards the Burrard Inlet and Chilco Street shafts.
Two underground valve chambers will be constructed within the tunnel system to support operation of the new water main.
Construction constraints
The tunnel alignment runs beneath Stanley Park, one of Vancouver’s most prominent urban parks, creating significant environmental and construction constraints.
To reduce impacts on the park environment, the tunnel has been designed at substantial depth beneath the surface. Construction activities are being monitored for noise, dust and traffic impacts, and disturbed areas will be restored following completion of works.
Regional infrastructure programme
The Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel Project forms part of Metro Vancouver’s broader programme to modernise and strengthen the region’s drinking water infrastructure. The project will help maintain reliability of supply to a metropolitan area serving approximately 2.8 million residents.
Construction of the new tunnel is scheduled to continue through 2029.
Other major tunnelling projects underway in Canada
Several other significant tunnelling projects are currently underway across Canada.
In Ontario, the Yonge North Subway Extension Advance Tunnelling Project in the Toronto region will construct approximately 6.3 km of twin subway tunnels extending Line 1 north from Finch Station towards Richmond Hill. The contract was awarded to the North End Connectors consortium, comprising Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc. (Canada), FCC Construcción (Spain) and Ghella Canada Ltd. (Italy).
Also in the Toronto region, the Scarborough Subway Extension Advance Tunnel Project involves construction of new subway tunnels for the extension of Line 2. The advance tunnelling contract was awarded to STRABAG (Austria) through its Canadian subsidiary.
In Quebec, construction is progressing on the Montreal Metro Blue Line Extension, which will deliver approximately 4.6 km of new metro tunnels extending the line eastwards towards Anjou.
In British Columbia, the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre LNG Pipeline Tunnel near Squamish involves construction of a 9 km long pipeline tunnel using two TBMs to transport natural gas between the mainland and the Woodfibre LNG facility. The tunnelling contract was awarded to Frontier-Kemper Constructors (USA).
Together with the Stanley Park scheme, these projects reflect a continuing programme of major underground infrastructure investment across Canada in transport, energy and water supply sectors.
Further information
Readers seeking additional information about the project can consult the following sources:
The Metro Vancouver project page provides an overview of the scheme, including shaft locations, tunnelling process, and construction activities. It confirms that the new tunnel is being built deep beneath Stanley Park to replace a water main from the 1930s that has reached the end of its service life.
Construction began in late 2024 and is expected to continue until 2029, with the new tunnel designed to meet current seismic standards and ensure continued water supply to the region. 10/26.
